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Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report: Fall Run in Full Swing, Prime Tides and Conditions for Rockfish, Bluefish, and More
Published 6 months, 3 weeks ago
Description
Artificial Lure here with your Chesapeake Bay fishing report for Wednesday, October 8th, covering the Baltimore and Washington DC region. The fall run is in full swing and conditions today are downright inviting for anglers looking to put some meat on the deck or just enjoy a crisp October morning by the water.
Sunrise hit at 7:06AM and the sun will set tonight at 6:37PM, giving you plenty of daylight prime-time for casting[2][9]. Tides are solid for working structure and flats—look for a low tide at 5:52AM, high tide peaking around 11:20AM, and another low at 6:41PM. Working the incoming tide mid-morning and outgoing early evening should produce your best action[2][9].
Weather-wise, it’s stable and almost perfect. Expect partly cloudy skies with mild winds and minimal chance of rain, keeping the water calm and the fish active. In the creeks and tributaries, surface temps are dropping toward the low 60s, which only ramps up the bite as fall migrations kick in[1].
Now to the fishing: Southern Maryland’s rivers and main stem are producing a mixed bag right now. Spot are thick in the creeks and rivers, especially up Patuxent and Potomac. The key bait for spot is still **bloodworms**, but the old-timers at St. Mary’s Tacklebox swear by Fishbites when the worms run out. Expect mostly hand-sized fish in the creeks and bigger, fry-pan ready spot in the deeper river bends. Get them while you can—these guys will head south by Halloween[1].
Rockfish (striped bass) remain a prime target, legal now with a 19–24" slot. Trolling deep edges and jigging soft plastics at the Patuxent River bridge pilings are both money. Early morning and late afternoon, especially with a little cloud cover, can bring aggressive strikes right up to shoreline structure. Topwater plugs and paddletails are go-tos, especially during those low-light windows[1].
Big bluefish are still active along the ship’s channel from Point No Point down toward the Virginia line, with some small cobia mixed in. If you're up in the rivers, smaller bluefish—those cocktails and snappers—will slam almost any flashy lure or cut bait. For the bigger blues, chunk fresh bunker or deploy big spoons or diamond jigs[1][5].
Surprise catches of red drum are still reported—a few bulls and plenty of slot reds, mostly around tidal flats and deeper drop-offs while targeting other species. If you’re casting for rockfish, don’t be afraid to go bigger on the paddletail—sometimes the reds just can’t resist. Speckled trout are also biting near grassy banks and rock structures. **MirrOlure, Gulp shrimp, and chartreuse or pink soft plastics** are serving up good catches for both reds and specks[1].
Black sea bass are showing up heavy in deeper waters and will reopen for harvest October 10 with a 13" minimum. For now, measure carefully as undersized fish need to be released healthy. Drop small jigs or squid strips to the bottom near wrecks and bridge pilings for steady sea bass action[1].
A notable recent catch comes from a bit farther out: a Maryland angler just set the state record with a 78-pound albacore tuna, caught trolling offshore. It’s proof those big fish are moving through, and for you boaters running out front, try trolling deep-diving plugs or cedar plugs on the outside edges for a shot at tuna and mahi-mahi[3].
Hot spots worth hitting:
- **Patuxent River Bridge Pilings**: Top jigging action for rockfish, specks, and perch.
- **Point No Point Ship Channel**: Big bluefish, with bonus cobia.
- **Eastern Bay Flats and Thomas Point Shoal**: Reliable stripers and the occasional drum or speck.
- **Magothy River Mouth**: Spot, white perch, and mixing schoolies for lighter tackle fun.
Best baits right now: **bloodworms** (for spot and perch), **bunker** and **menhaden chunks** (for bluefish and stripers), and **soft plastics or topwater plugs** (for stripers, specks, and r
Sunrise hit at 7:06AM and the sun will set tonight at 6:37PM, giving you plenty of daylight prime-time for casting[2][9]. Tides are solid for working structure and flats—look for a low tide at 5:52AM, high tide peaking around 11:20AM, and another low at 6:41PM. Working the incoming tide mid-morning and outgoing early evening should produce your best action[2][9].
Weather-wise, it’s stable and almost perfect. Expect partly cloudy skies with mild winds and minimal chance of rain, keeping the water calm and the fish active. In the creeks and tributaries, surface temps are dropping toward the low 60s, which only ramps up the bite as fall migrations kick in[1].
Now to the fishing: Southern Maryland’s rivers and main stem are producing a mixed bag right now. Spot are thick in the creeks and rivers, especially up Patuxent and Potomac. The key bait for spot is still **bloodworms**, but the old-timers at St. Mary’s Tacklebox swear by Fishbites when the worms run out. Expect mostly hand-sized fish in the creeks and bigger, fry-pan ready spot in the deeper river bends. Get them while you can—these guys will head south by Halloween[1].
Rockfish (striped bass) remain a prime target, legal now with a 19–24" slot. Trolling deep edges and jigging soft plastics at the Patuxent River bridge pilings are both money. Early morning and late afternoon, especially with a little cloud cover, can bring aggressive strikes right up to shoreline structure. Topwater plugs and paddletails are go-tos, especially during those low-light windows[1].
Big bluefish are still active along the ship’s channel from Point No Point down toward the Virginia line, with some small cobia mixed in. If you're up in the rivers, smaller bluefish—those cocktails and snappers—will slam almost any flashy lure or cut bait. For the bigger blues, chunk fresh bunker or deploy big spoons or diamond jigs[1][5].
Surprise catches of red drum are still reported—a few bulls and plenty of slot reds, mostly around tidal flats and deeper drop-offs while targeting other species. If you’re casting for rockfish, don’t be afraid to go bigger on the paddletail—sometimes the reds just can’t resist. Speckled trout are also biting near grassy banks and rock structures. **MirrOlure, Gulp shrimp, and chartreuse or pink soft plastics** are serving up good catches for both reds and specks[1].
Black sea bass are showing up heavy in deeper waters and will reopen for harvest October 10 with a 13" minimum. For now, measure carefully as undersized fish need to be released healthy. Drop small jigs or squid strips to the bottom near wrecks and bridge pilings for steady sea bass action[1].
A notable recent catch comes from a bit farther out: a Maryland angler just set the state record with a 78-pound albacore tuna, caught trolling offshore. It’s proof those big fish are moving through, and for you boaters running out front, try trolling deep-diving plugs or cedar plugs on the outside edges for a shot at tuna and mahi-mahi[3].
Hot spots worth hitting:
- **Patuxent River Bridge Pilings**: Top jigging action for rockfish, specks, and perch.
- **Point No Point Ship Channel**: Big bluefish, with bonus cobia.
- **Eastern Bay Flats and Thomas Point Shoal**: Reliable stripers and the occasional drum or speck.
- **Magothy River Mouth**: Spot, white perch, and mixing schoolies for lighter tackle fun.
Best baits right now: **bloodworms** (for spot and perch), **bunker** and **menhaden chunks** (for bluefish and stripers), and **soft plastics or topwater plugs** (for stripers, specks, and r